Episode Summary:

Adam Stiles, Director and co-founder of Helix Structured Finance, returns to the podcast for a third time to share his unfiltered take on the state of the market heading into 2026. From the psychology of vetting borrowers and why broker-lender relationships still trump rate sheets, to the tech revolution reshaping the industry and why brokers who don’t adapt risk being left behind — Adam covers it all. He also opens up about mental health pressures in the broker community, his decision to give up alcohol, and why commercial property is the most underserved and exciting corner of the market right now. Plus, he doesn’t hold back when asked what the industry needs to stop ignoring.

Guest: Adam Stiles, Director & Co-Founder, Helix Structured Finance

Guest Socials: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamstilesuk/

Sponsored by:

Avamore Capital

https://avamorecapital.com

#SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #SpecialistLending #BridgingFinance #DevelopmentFinance #Bridging #Development #Business #MentalHealth #TechInFinance #BrokerLife #CommercialProperty #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #Entrepreneurship #HelixStructuredFinance

Episode Chapters:

00:00:00 – Market Outlook & Business Update

00:06:46 – Vetting Deals & Reading Red Flags

00:12:30 – Technology & The AI Revolution

00:17:05 – Mental Health & Giving Up Alcohol

00:23:30 – BDM Relationships & The Death of the Pub Meeting

00:29:31 – The Future of Broking

00:35:55 – Relationships Over Rates

00:42:11 – New Market Entrants & Lender Consolidation

00:49:12 – Growing Teams & Young Talent

00:56:10 – Looking Ahead & Industry Home Truths

Mark Posniak, Managing Director of Short-Term Lending at Maslow Capital, takes us on a fascinating tour through the complexities of pan-European bridging finance. With operations spanning eight countries from the UK to the Netherlands, Mark reveals why trying to lend across Europe from a London desk is a recipe for disaster, and how Maslow's on-the-ground expertise in each market gives them a unique edge. From navigating Italy's usury caps to understanding Ireland's lightning-fast residential market, Mark shares hard-won insights about the critical differences between European lending markets that most people miss. Plus, we dive into his personal journey with ADHD, what you can learn about someone's character on the golf course, and why Arsenal might finally have the depth to win the league.

Guest: Mark Posniak

Guest Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/pozzy_187/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/markposniak/

Sponsored by:

Avamore Capital

https://avamorecapital.com

#SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #Recruitment #SpecialistLending #Bridging #Development #Business #Leadership #Hiring #TalentAcquisition #FounderSyndrome #Headhunting #FinancialServices #CareerDevelopment #StartupGrowth #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #TeamBuilding #Entrepreneurship

In this episode, Michael Dean sits down with Jacob Bouet Andersen, Managing Director at Avamore Capital, to discuss the lender's remarkable turnaround and ambitious growth plans. Nine months into his role, Jacob shares how Avamore has achieved 90% growth in origination while simultaneously cleaning up the loan book and maintaining zero capital losses. Jacob introduces Avamore's "Four Pillars of Credit" framework - product, developer, delivery, and financials - explaining why backing the right sponsor matters more than ever in today's market.

The conversation explores their proactive approach to asset management, described as "looking for smoke rather than fighting fires," and how technology investments are streamlining the underwriting process. The discussion also covers Avamore's recently published Residential Market Outlook, touching on the regional renaissance in UK property development, the growing appetite for HMOs and income-generating assets, and why two-thirds of their exits now come through refinance rather than sales. Jacob outlines the team's target of 250 million in lending for the upcoming financial year and the operational changes being implemented to achieve it.

Whether you're a broker, developer, or industry observer, this episode offers valuable insights into how a specialist lender is positioning itself for growth while maintaining credit discipline in an uncertain market.

Guest: Jacob Bouet Andersen, Managing Director, Avamore Capital Guest

Socials: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobbouet/

Sponsored by: Avamore Capital https://avamorecapital.com

#specialistfinance #PropertyFinance #DevelopmentFinance #SpecialistLending #Bridging #Development #CreditManagement #AssetManagement #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #LoanBook #Underwriting #HMO #ResidentialDevelopment #RegionalProperty #UKProperty #Refinance #LendingGrowth #PropertyFunder

In this episode, we sit down with Alex Kountourides, co-founder of Valos, to challenge the assumption that all proptech is racing to replace human expertise. Alex shares how his experience as a qualified surveyor revealed a massive gap in the market—valuers were drowning in administrative tasks rather than doing what they're trained for: determining value. Valos flips the AVM model on its head by automating the busywork, not the valuer. We dive into the nuanced future of human valuations across different asset classes, dissect what's broken in the proptech industry (spoiler: oversaturation and chasing VC money), and hear Alex's candid take on why bootstrapping has given them control of their destiny. If you're curious about building sustainable proptech or rethinking automation in real estate, this one's for you.

Guest: Alex Kountourides

Guest Socials:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexkountourides/

Instagram: @akountourides

Sponsored by:Avamore Capital

https://avamorecapital.com

#SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #Recruitment #SpecialistLending #Bridging #Development #Business #Leadership #Hiring #TalentAcquisition #FounderSyndrome #Headhunting #FinancialServices #CareerDevelopment #StartupGrowth #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #TeamBuilding #Entrepreneurship

Shazad Ahmed, aka 'Where's Shaz' and Director of Elan Property Finance, takes us on a brutally honest journey through modern brokerage from his South Wales base. We explore the reality check newer investors need (spoiler: that £10k savings pot won't go as far as the property guru promised), the dark side of private finance and Ponzi-adjacent schemes promising 30% returns, and why deal sourcing isn't the dirty word mortgage lenders think it is. Shaz reveals how solicitors are holding deals hostage with capacity issues and suspiciously convenient delays, shares his vibe coding experiments with AI tools that summarise 50-page credit files in plain English, and explains why LinkedIn post hijacking is the ultimate cardinal sin. We dissect HMO valuation concerns that keep credit teams up at night, debate whether families will have anywhere left to live, explore the receivership red flags killing future refinances, and discuss why communication with lenders beats going ghost every single time. Plus, Shaz's advice to his 21-year-old self about peaking earlier might just be the reality check we all needed.

Guest: Shazad Ahmed, Director of Elan Property Finance

Guest Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/wheresshaz/

https://www.tiktok.com/@wheresshaz

https://www.youtube.com/@Wheresshaz

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shazadahmed/

Sponsored by:

Avamore Capital

https://avamorecapital.com

#SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #Recruitment #SpecialistLending #Bridging #Development #Business #Leadership #Hiring #TalentAcquisition #FounderSyndrome #Headhunting #FinancialServices #CareerDevelopment #StartupGrowth #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #TeamBuilding #Entrepreneurship

It's episode 100! To mark this milestone, Michael sits down with Jordan McBriar and D’mitri Zaprzala, directors of the newly launched Broker Club. The pair reveal their ambitious plan to create a nationwide network of specialist brokers covering all 48 counties across England and Wales—and they're already 42 counties in with 68 applications. This isn't just another networking group; it's a genuine collaboration model designed for established one to three-person brokerages who want to be part of something bigger. They discuss the overwhelming response from the market, unexpected benefits that emerged, lender reactions, and what makes a good broker-lender relationship. Plus, there's some friendly football banter between an Arsenal and a Man City fan. If you're curious about the future of specialist brokering and what happens when you bring the best regional brokers under one roof, this is essential listening.

Guests: Jordan McBriar and D’mitri Zaprzala

Guest Socials:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-mcbriar-19341477/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-mitri-zaprzala-70416819/

Sponsored by: Avamore Capital

https://avamorecapital.com

#SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #Recruitment #SpecialistLending #Bridging #Development #Business #Leadership #Hiring #TalentAcquisition #FounderSyndrome #Headhunting #FinancialServices #CareerDevelopment #StartupGrowth #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #TeamBuilding #Entrepreneurship

George Ormerod, Relationship Manager at Avamore Capital, takes us through his unconventional journey from COVID-era estate agent at Foxtons to rising star in development finance. We dive into the reality behind the Foxtons reputation, explore the transferable skills that set George apart (spoiler: it's not about dropping donuts), and discuss why picking up the phone still matters in a WhatsApp world. George shares hard-won lessons about building trust without over-promising, breaking into competitive broker relationships, and why being memorable – even if you're Marmite – beats being forgettable every time. Plus, we examine the current property market, debate flats versus houses, discuss tech adoption battles (George is now a believer), and reveal why patience and persistence trump overnight success. If you're curious about what separates average BDMs from exceptional ones, this conversation delivers the blueprint.

Guest: George Ormerod, Relationship Manager at Avamore Capital

Guest Socials:

go@avamorecapital.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-ormerod-126aa61aa/

Sponsored by:

Avamore Capital

https://avamorecapital.com

#SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #Recruitment #SpecialistLending #Bridging #Development #Business #Leadership #Hiring #TalentAcquisition #FounderSyndrome #Headhunting #FinancialServices #CareerDevelopment #StartupGrowth #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #TeamBuilding #Entrepreneurship

Ash Ajaz, aka The People's Broker and founder of Focus Finance Solutions, shares his remarkable journey from being pushed into entrepreneurship in 2020 to building a thriving brokerage with over 500 educational YouTube videos. We explore why he believes the toughest years for brokers created the best opportunities, how he uses education as his secret weapon for lead generation (with clients calling from Dubai after discovering his content), and why checking your credit score regularly isn't just smart – it's essential. Ash breaks down why the SME finance market is criminally underserved, reveals the pitfalls that kill developer profits (hello, building control nightmares), and explains his 'jab, jab, jab, right hook' approach to content creation. Plus, we discuss why AI is a tool not a threat, the importance of building a personal brand that means something, and why teaching his eight-year-old Excel might be the smartest investment he's making. If you're wondering how to stand out in a crowded market through authentic education and relentless consistency, this conversation is your blueprint.

Guest: Ash Ajaz, Founder & CEO of Focus Finance Solutions (The People's Broker)

Guest Socials: @thepeoplesbroker

https://www.instagram.com/thepeoplesbroker/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashajaz/

https://www.tiktok.com/@the.peoples.broker

https://www.youtube.com/@focusfinancechannel

Sponsored by:

Avamore Capital

https://avamorecapital.com

#SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #Recruitment #SpecialistLending #Bridging #Development #Business #Leadership #Hiring #TalentAcquisition #FounderSyndrome #Headhunting #FinancialServices #CareerDevelopment #StartupGrowth #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #TeamBuilding #Entrepreneurship